SunOpta Unveils New Headquarters and Innovation Center
04 April 2022 - 03:00PM
Business Wire
Global pioneer upsizes with a focus on
innovation to fuel its growth ambitions, seeks to double its
plant-based business from 2020 to 2025
Proudly calls Eden Prairie, Minn. home
SunOpta (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY), a U.S.-based, global pioneer
fueling the future of sustainable, plant-based and fruit-based food
and beverages, today unveiled its new 65,000 square-foot global
headquarters and eco-powered innovation center in Eden Prairie,
Minn.
SunOpta’s new home was designed to accelerate the speed of
innovation, foster collaboration and model the company’s
sustainability heritage to positively impact people and the planet.
The space, featuring a pilot plant and a research and development
center eight times the size of its previous location, will further
expand co-manufacturing, private label, ingredient and branded
product offerings across all categories.
The sustainably-designed, eco-friendly workplace is a key
investment to achieving strategic business and growth goals,
including doubling the plant-based business by 2025.
“Our growth ambitions required this move. We’ve grown our
plant-based business by more than $100 million over the last two
years through a focus on innovation and new customer development,
and we expect this pace of growth to continue,” said Joe Ennen,
CEO, SunOpta. “This new facility, with a full-scale pilot plant and
a huge expansion of the research and development space, will allow
us to aggressively develop new products and new customers.”
SunOpta hired Minneapolis firms RSP Architects and Greiner
Construction to lead the building’s design and construction,
respectively. Both companies brought SunOpta’s passion for
sustainability to life throughout the innovative, collaborative
space.
“SunOpta’s well-established green initiatives allowed us the
opportunity to create a very sustainably-conscious design for their
eco-friendly work environment,” said Derek McCallum, design
principal of RSP Architects. “The building is utilizing so many
sustainable best practices, including layering landscape both
inside and out as well as generating more than 30% of its
electricity needs from a large solar array.”
Additional features of the new SunOpta headquarters and
innovation center include:
- Nearly 13,000 square feet of renewable bamboo flooring and 920
LED light fixtures
- 630 plantings, six indoor trees, a living plant wall and six
skylights to bring in nature
- Replicas of customer barista bars for accurate research and
development
- Employee amenities to inspire teamwork, including integrated
office technology for hybrid meetings and a fitness studio with
classes taught by employees
- Electric vehicle charging stations
- Coming this spring:
- 36,000 square-feet of solar paneling (743 panels)
- Outdoor amenities, including: five outdoor garden planters for
employees to grow organic produce, grills, a spacious deck with
pergolas
The new center was not only built to create a sense of community
and collaboration with current employees, but also to attract top
industry talent. SunOpta has a global workforce of more than 1,400
employees across 14 locations in three North American countries,
including more than 150 at its new location.
“Collaboration and innovation go hand in hand,” continued Ennen.
“While other companies are downsizing their office spaces, SunOpta
is upsizing to achieve our growth ambitions by encouraging
problem-solving and innovation in person. It is a simple but
effective approach: build the right environment, hire the best and
brightest minds and empower them to make an impact. This new space
combined with our flexible approach to hybrid working brings us
together to sustain innovation.”
SunOpta’s new headquarters and innovation center is located at
7078 Shady Oak Road in Eden Prairie, Minn. For more information on
SunOpta and to view open positions, visit sunopta.com and follow
the company on LinkedIn.
About SunOpta, Inc.
SunOpta (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY) is a U.S.-based, global pioneer
fueling the future of sustainable, plant-based and fruit-based food
and beverages. Founded nearly 50 years ago, SunOpta manufactures
natural, organic and specialty products sold through retail and
foodservice channels. SunOpta operates as a manufacturer for
leading natural and private label brands, and also proudly produces
its own brands, including SOWN™, Dream™, West Life™ and Sunrise
Growers™. For more information, visit www.sunopta.com and
LinkedIn.
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Elizabeth Horton simmerpublicrelations@gmail.com (207)
838-0084
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